Looking for Winter Advice- What do you wish you had known

[rooster0209]

Lots of great ideas.

My coop & run are concrete, no drafts & no mud.

A guestion for the fireman..does a black light will put off heat, will it start a fire as easily as a regular heat lamp? Should I stick with a 90w bulb when it gets below zero

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Question : What do you line your concrete floor of the coop with and also the run ? I know concrete is very hard on their tender feet .

 

[Opa]

The black light I was referring to is a ceramic heat lamp not the black light that was used for illuminating psychedelic painting. As a heat lamp it definitely puts out heat so normal precautions are required. It's actually called a heat emitter and can be ordered from companies that specialize in reptiles. They also sell light bulbs with red light designed specifically for birds to not disturb normal sleeping patterns. Check out www.arcatapet.com they have a ceramic lamp from England that is made for birds and looks ideal. It's probably what I will use. You could also try www.avitech.com

 

[Wildsky]

I wish I hadn't STRESSED out so much about them!

They sure are hardy little boogers, I spent countless hours worried about them at night.

I did have an under waterer heater base thing.

 

[tnelsonsfarm]

I had thought about a 5 gallon heated dog waterer.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
http://www.countrysidepet.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1187

 

[DuckyBoys]

Well I dunno what to think - I'm not going to worry about them to be honest. I have a barn that will be open on one side all winter for everyone to come and go as they please. That is unavoidable with donkeys. And my "coop" if you want to call it that, is open on 3 sides with wire, though it is inside the barn. I will be putting up a wind break area for the donkeys and waterfowl, but seriously, if the chickens freeze then....?

I have a ton of heat lamps to use, and I might if it gets bad, but no way am I running those things all winter. They really jack up the electric bill. I have floofy chickens, 4 buff brahmas and 4 standard cochins. They have more feathers than are necessary in my opinion, they should be fine.

Oh, and that heated dog waterer, while snazzy - WAAAAAAAAAAAY overpriced. Get a heated horse bucket - $49.99. Or get a regular water tank/bucket and buy a floating heater element - $30.00. They even have one that works in plastic buckets.

 

[Alaskan]

I looked at those buckets but I was way too worried that a chicken could fall in and drown.

 

[Wildsky]

I had an under the water font heater... onlky problem the element under the heater kept on coming lose from the heater base - so it was touching the ground under it and not keeping the water from freezing - piece of junk - but I'll probably figure i tout and use it again this year.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
How far below zero? We went down to -26 and I had no added heat.